14th out of 24 starters. 54:44 over 24.1 miles for about 26.5 avg, just over 4:00 off the winning time.
I did not really have my whole head in it. I was hurting, but could have hurt more. I passed one guy and three passed me. Got rained on on the way back. The head wind in spots, the rain, some slight up-hills and my legs running out of gas caused me to lose focus at about 42:00. HR was just below AT but my legs told me I was where I needed to be. I was running late and did not get the warm-up I would have liked, but it’s my own damn fault. Kurt helped me set-up and that let me get the little warm-up I did get. A$$ was really sore after the race, so I know I need more training time in the aero bars. I’m certainly not ecstatic, but I’m not disappointed. Thanks for the wheels Bert!
We did five laps on the RR course this afternoon. Lots of turns and rollers in the woods. One hill is comparable to Sled Hill in length and grade. The rest are shorter, but they will all take their toll over 60 miles (12 laps) The whole course kind of reminds me of the back side of Cliff Drive. Most places you cannot see more that 100 yards. Something could stick early.
RR is at 7:00am eastern time on Thursday. Wish me luck.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday Night Crit
Most of the first half was just sitting in. Guys would attack and others would pull them back. I got up front and put in a couple efforts, trying to do my share of the work. I made it in a break with Shadd and a couple other guys about 18 minutes into the race. There was some confusion behind me when one of his teammates was bridging to us and we ended up getting caught soon after. With 7+3 to go, I tried making something happen, but no one went with me. Someone did bridge about a lap later. I backed off and waited for him, but he was a little cooked by the time he made it to me. Our gap was not more that a few seconds by that time. We ended up getting absorbed by the field and then it was three to go. The wind-up on the last lap was painful. I was sitting fifth and the pack was super strung-out. Around the last corner Shadd went to the front, then a 360 guy went around him, then Shadd went back around him for the win. I ended up sprinting to 3rd.
BTW, stoned people are the nicest people on earth. I was riding out Prairie Star after the race and this woman pulled up next to me and asked if I could please help her find her way to Metcalf and 106th. She listened intently as I gave her directions, all the while the sweet and pungent odor of burning cannabis wafted through the open window of her car. I had a sudden flash-back of walking past coffee houses in Amsterdam. She thanked me profusely and commented “Oh, and I ride bikes too”, emphasizing her words a quick fist-pump before she went on her merry way :-).
BTW, stoned people are the nicest people on earth. I was riding out Prairie Star after the race and this woman pulled up next to me and asked if I could please help her find her way to Metcalf and 106th. She listened intently as I gave her directions, all the while the sweet and pungent odor of burning cannabis wafted through the open window of her car. I had a sudden flash-back of walking past coffee houses in Amsterdam. She thanked me profusely and commented “Oh, and I ride bikes too”, emphasizing her words a quick fist-pump before she went on her merry way :-).
Monday, June 23, 2008
Webster Groves
I was the only one from the team racing Webster Groves and it was a long drive so I sacrificed comfort for economy, loaded up the Honda and headed East.
Neat venue and a nice course. 55 minutes + 6 laps at just less than a mile per lap. It’s mostly flat with a little up-hill on the back followed by a long gradual down-hill. That leads into a short chute with bumpy pavement and a 90 deg RH turn with two man-hole covers, finishing in a 100 yard sprint to the line. Big Shark, Dog Fish, Gateway and Mesa were the largest teams. There were somewhere around 60 starters and enough horsepower that nothing got very far up the road for very long. I was feeling good and tried an attack of my own about 25 minutes in, but no one went with me so I sat out front for a lap and a half before I was back in the pack.
There were four $50 prime that kept it lively. I didn’t really contest any of them. I was more concerned with making the break if one went and then the sprint finish
I was in pretty good position for the last lap and ended up second wheel on the down-hill. The guy in front of me backed off the pace a bit and I should have jumped then, but I didn’t. I was remembering the state RR where I went too soon and got passed by three guys in the final 200 meters. Five guys came around me before the final turn and that’s basically how it ended with me in 6th.
They posted the results before I even had a chance to finish loading up my bike and I was on the road for the long drive home, cash in-hand, a half hour after the race was over.
The money I “saved” in gas (compared to driving the Suburban) was enough to buy lunch on the way there, pay my entry fee, support my habit with an ice cold java chip frappuccino (size venti of course) after the race and top it off with a couple margaritas and a chimichanga when I got back in town. Now if I could just drive the Honda that far every day I could afford a new bike ;-).
Neat venue and a nice course. 55 minutes + 6 laps at just less than a mile per lap. It’s mostly flat with a little up-hill on the back followed by a long gradual down-hill. That leads into a short chute with bumpy pavement and a 90 deg RH turn with two man-hole covers, finishing in a 100 yard sprint to the line. Big Shark, Dog Fish, Gateway and Mesa were the largest teams. There were somewhere around 60 starters and enough horsepower that nothing got very far up the road for very long. I was feeling good and tried an attack of my own about 25 minutes in, but no one went with me so I sat out front for a lap and a half before I was back in the pack.
There were four $50 prime that kept it lively. I didn’t really contest any of them. I was more concerned with making the break if one went and then the sprint finish
I was in pretty good position for the last lap and ended up second wheel on the down-hill. The guy in front of me backed off the pace a bit and I should have jumped then, but I didn’t. I was remembering the state RR where I went too soon and got passed by three guys in the final 200 meters. Five guys came around me before the final turn and that’s basically how it ended with me in 6th.
They posted the results before I even had a chance to finish loading up my bike and I was on the road for the long drive home, cash in-hand, a half hour after the race was over.
The money I “saved” in gas (compared to driving the Suburban) was enough to buy lunch on the way there, pay my entry fee, support my habit with an ice cold java chip frappuccino (size venti of course) after the race and top it off with a couple margaritas and a chimichanga when I got back in town. Now if I could just drive the Honda that far every day I could afford a new bike ;-).
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday Night Crit
I did the Tuesday night crit last night. It was my third outing this year. The first time I was in the right place at the right time and ended up making the break and ‘winning’. Two weeks ago I was not in the right place at the right time and missed the break. I pulled the plug 15 minutes in due to the torrential down-pour and my mangina. This week was a little different in that it all stayed together for over half the race. There were continuous attacks, but someone always covered or chased it down within a lap or two. When the winning break went, I was in the right place at the right time again but eff’ed it up by letting my mangina take over and not holding Shadd’s wheel. I was too cooked to go with the guys that bridged to him and that was that. I tried an attack with 5+3 to go but no one went with me and I was too tired to stay away on my own. It was a good learning experience and great workout.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Kansas Master's State RR
The short story:
Very few racers (which I expected), lots of sitting in and not racing (which I also expected) and a thunderstorm (which I did not expect). Kurt, Jack and Me racing for the Shack. We bat for the cycle and Jack is a State Champion.
The long story:
There were three in the 30-34 group, four in the 35-39 group and about eight in the 40-44 group. Three laps for 75 miles total. The course is shaped somewhat like the state of Nevada with the start/finish line in the NW corner. The first two legs to the east and then south are basically flat with long gradual ups and downs. The turn to the north starts the hill section for the last 10+ miles.
Being from Missouri, I was there to work for Jack and Kurt. Not a lot happened in the first lap and a half. Right before the hill section on the second lap, Kurt and Jack were in front of me with a few other guys. I let a bit of a gap go and no one really seemed to mind. They had 50 yards on us in no time. When we hit the base of the first hill Trey started laying down some power to reel them back. He rode everyone but me off his wheel, and then he almost rode me off his wheel. So now we are down to eight.
We’d been watching this thunder storm off to our north, but I figured it would miss us as they always come from the south or west. Well, I guess not always... The rain started right before the end of the second lap. The temp dropped 15 degrees in a matter of minutes and the rain was down right frigid. The wind changed directions so now the south stretch was tail to cross/tail instead of head. With no head wind the pace picked up. By the time we turned to the north for the final time up the hills the rain had stopped and the wind had changed directions again. I put in an effort up the first hill wanting the others to chase me so Kurt and Jack could sit on their wheel. Didn’t happen and I had a 200m gap before I knew it. From what I could see behind me a couple guys did try to bridge, but no one got away solo. I kept my lead and rode the last 10 miles solo. Afterwards I heard Kurt did try to bridge and just ran out of gas. He finished third in his age group. Jack marked the only other guy left in our age group and out-sprinted him at the finish so he is a State Champ. Sweet!
I’m not surprised at the poor attendance given the very small pay-out, the remote location and the fact that there just aren’t that may racers in KS. I’m sure holding separate road races for age groups and categories on different weekends did not help either. If they want better attendance (and a better race), I think they should move the race closer to the racers. Maybe somewhere between KC and Topeka. Also, make the win worth a little more. And I don’t necessarily mean larger payouts. How about a state champion jersey or a trophy? Just my two cents.
Very few racers (which I expected), lots of sitting in and not racing (which I also expected) and a thunderstorm (which I did not expect). Kurt, Jack and Me racing for the Shack. We bat for the cycle and Jack is a State Champion.
The long story:
There were three in the 30-34 group, four in the 35-39 group and about eight in the 40-44 group. Three laps for 75 miles total. The course is shaped somewhat like the state of Nevada with the start/finish line in the NW corner. The first two legs to the east and then south are basically flat with long gradual ups and downs. The turn to the north starts the hill section for the last 10+ miles.
Being from Missouri, I was there to work for Jack and Kurt. Not a lot happened in the first lap and a half. Right before the hill section on the second lap, Kurt and Jack were in front of me with a few other guys. I let a bit of a gap go and no one really seemed to mind. They had 50 yards on us in no time. When we hit the base of the first hill Trey started laying down some power to reel them back. He rode everyone but me off his wheel, and then he almost rode me off his wheel. So now we are down to eight.
We’d been watching this thunder storm off to our north, but I figured it would miss us as they always come from the south or west. Well, I guess not always... The rain started right before the end of the second lap. The temp dropped 15 degrees in a matter of minutes and the rain was down right frigid. The wind changed directions so now the south stretch was tail to cross/tail instead of head. With no head wind the pace picked up. By the time we turned to the north for the final time up the hills the rain had stopped and the wind had changed directions again. I put in an effort up the first hill wanting the others to chase me so Kurt and Jack could sit on their wheel. Didn’t happen and I had a 200m gap before I knew it. From what I could see behind me a couple guys did try to bridge, but no one got away solo. I kept my lead and rode the last 10 miles solo. Afterwards I heard Kurt did try to bridge and just ran out of gas. He finished third in his age group. Jack marked the only other guy left in our age group and out-sprinted him at the finish so he is a State Champ. Sweet!
I’m not surprised at the poor attendance given the very small pay-out, the remote location and the fact that there just aren’t that may racers in KS. I’m sure holding separate road races for age groups and categories on different weekends did not help either. If they want better attendance (and a better race), I think they should move the race closer to the racers. Maybe somewhere between KC and Topeka. Also, make the win worth a little more. And I don’t necessarily mean larger payouts. How about a state champion jersey or a trophy? Just my two cents.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Winghaven
First, payment where payment is due. I was flying solo at Winghaven. Phil was there racing masters but had to hit the road soon after his race. It was 90+ degrees, we were racing 65+ miles and I had no one to hand me bottles. I know, poor planning on my part does not constitute an emergency on anyone else’s part. An hour before the race I’m searching for someone I know that might hand me bottles when my phone rings. Caller ID say “Holloway”. The conversation goes something like this….
“Chris, what’s up?” I say.
“Not much. You racing this weekend?” he responds.
“Yeah. Where are you?”
“Winghaven.” My mood escalated by a factor of ten.
“Where are you?” I asked again.
“In the parking garage.” he tells me.
“I’m at the top of the hill. Want to hand me bottle?”
“Well that’s why I’m calling.” he says.
SWEET!
Chris handed me six bottles and scrounged all of my empties. I gave him the two beers I was packing and still owe him as many as he cares to drink the next time he’s in town. Thanks Chris!
$4000 for first and paying 20 deep made for a large and quality field. Mercy, Trek, Big Shark, et al. All the usual suspects and then some. 25 laps at just under three miles per lap was the prescription. I mostly sat toward the back for the first few laps. I don’t remember how far in, but less than a third of the way, seven guys got up the road. They were gone. About half way in, four or five more made a chase group. They were gone too. The main pack had been somewhat whittled-down by the pace, wind and heat. I know I was feeling it. I started riding closer to the front as the race wore on. Somewhere around 9 to go a largish group got about 15 seconds on us. A lap later a couple guys started working to bring it back. I used my fatness and pulled the down-hill. When I looked over my shoulder I found I had a gap so I kept pedaling in an effort to bridge to them. That didn’t last very long. Maybe a half a lap at the most. Someone made a move at the bottom of the hill with about six to go. I was sitting right behind him. I thought I could cover it and I really tried, but that effort was the proverbial feather. I did not cover it and kind of hozed some guys behind me when I pulled the plug. I popped a few laps later and rode the last four by myself (and got lapped by the leaders).
I did not stick around to check results. I wanted to make it home at a decent hour and I knew I did not finish in the money. They posted results this morning. I finished in 35th place out of the 48 guys that rode the whole thing (105 started).
“Chris, what’s up?” I say.
“Not much. You racing this weekend?” he responds.
“Yeah. Where are you?”
“Winghaven.” My mood escalated by a factor of ten.
“Where are you?” I asked again.
“In the parking garage.” he tells me.
“I’m at the top of the hill. Want to hand me bottle?”
“Well that’s why I’m calling.” he says.
SWEET!
Chris handed me six bottles and scrounged all of my empties. I gave him the two beers I was packing and still owe him as many as he cares to drink the next time he’s in town. Thanks Chris!
$4000 for first and paying 20 deep made for a large and quality field. Mercy, Trek, Big Shark, et al. All the usual suspects and then some. 25 laps at just under three miles per lap was the prescription. I mostly sat toward the back for the first few laps. I don’t remember how far in, but less than a third of the way, seven guys got up the road. They were gone. About half way in, four or five more made a chase group. They were gone too. The main pack had been somewhat whittled-down by the pace, wind and heat. I know I was feeling it. I started riding closer to the front as the race wore on. Somewhere around 9 to go a largish group got about 15 seconds on us. A lap later a couple guys started working to bring it back. I used my fatness and pulled the down-hill. When I looked over my shoulder I found I had a gap so I kept pedaling in an effort to bridge to them. That didn’t last very long. Maybe a half a lap at the most. Someone made a move at the bottom of the hill with about six to go. I was sitting right behind him. I thought I could cover it and I really tried, but that effort was the proverbial feather. I did not cover it and kind of hozed some guys behind me when I pulled the plug. I popped a few laps later and rode the last four by myself (and got lapped by the leaders).
I did not stick around to check results. I wanted to make it home at a decent hour and I knew I did not finish in the money. They posted results this morning. I finished in 35th place out of the 48 guys that rode the whole thing (105 started).
Monday, June 2, 2008
Tulsa Tough
Friday (Blue Dome Crit)
50 minutes on a mostly flat ¾ of a mile figure eight with eight 90 degree turns and a whole bunch of really fast guys. I knew going in that this would be the toughest race I’ve ever done and I was not disappointed. I got a decent spot on the line, but then blew it by not getting clipped in on the first try. I was at the back before the second corner. It was on from the gun. Full gas with no letting up. This was the larges crit I’ve been in as well and my pack riding skills are really lacking. I can’t tell you much of what happened at the front as I was never there. I’d put in an effort to get into the top 20 then slowly loose spots in the turns and end up toward the back couple laps later. The pace really elevated with two laps to go, but I was able to work my way up to the middle of the pack for a 40th place finish. Yeah, I suck.
Saturday (Bradly Arts District Crit)
A thunderstorm moved through Tulsa at about 10:30 on Saturday morning and they were forecasting more of the same all day. In typical weatherman fashion they had it all wrong. It cleared out by noon and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. They did get one thing right though. It was all of the 92 degrees they were calling for, plus a little. The race was 60 minutes, again on a mostly flat course but with only six turns this time. I improved on my start from the previous night and rounded the first corner in the top third of the pack. The little up-hill and the head and cross wind on the back side of the course meant the pace was less than smooth. The rubber band effect was killing me. The speed changes made for some technical challenges as well. It could get really tight in the corners. There were plenty of wrecks and I had two close calls. The first was about half way into the race. The pace slowed and the pack tighten up through the turn and I got pinched. I ended up leaning on another guy bar to bar, but we both got through clean. The second was with half a lap to go. I’d worked my way into the top 20 and again the pace slowed with the whole pack coming together through the exit of the turn. I was not on my brakes fast enough and ended up rubbing my front spokes on someone’s rear skewer. I clipped one foot out to stay vertical and jammed the brakes. I lost all my momentum and everyone flew past me. I crossed the line in 48th. Yep, I still suck.
Sunday
Again a thunderstorm moved through in the morning and it was a wicked one. Horizontal rain, 50+ mph wind, lightning, hail, the whole bit. It cleared out and I made it to the course a little after 11:00 to find utter destruction. Leaves, branches, mud, a tree and power lines littered the course. They canceled most of the races through Cat 3 and weren’t sure they were going to run the rest of them, so I called it a weekend and headed for home. Turns out they did run the Pro Women, 1-2 Men and Pro Men.
Overall it was a good weekend. I didn’t place very well, but I gained some much needed experience. Next weekend is Winghaven.
50 minutes on a mostly flat ¾ of a mile figure eight with eight 90 degree turns and a whole bunch of really fast guys. I knew going in that this would be the toughest race I’ve ever done and I was not disappointed. I got a decent spot on the line, but then blew it by not getting clipped in on the first try. I was at the back before the second corner. It was on from the gun. Full gas with no letting up. This was the larges crit I’ve been in as well and my pack riding skills are really lacking. I can’t tell you much of what happened at the front as I was never there. I’d put in an effort to get into the top 20 then slowly loose spots in the turns and end up toward the back couple laps later. The pace really elevated with two laps to go, but I was able to work my way up to the middle of the pack for a 40th place finish. Yeah, I suck.
Saturday (Bradly Arts District Crit)
A thunderstorm moved through Tulsa at about 10:30 on Saturday morning and they were forecasting more of the same all day. In typical weatherman fashion they had it all wrong. It cleared out by noon and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. They did get one thing right though. It was all of the 92 degrees they were calling for, plus a little. The race was 60 minutes, again on a mostly flat course but with only six turns this time. I improved on my start from the previous night and rounded the first corner in the top third of the pack. The little up-hill and the head and cross wind on the back side of the course meant the pace was less than smooth. The rubber band effect was killing me. The speed changes made for some technical challenges as well. It could get really tight in the corners. There were plenty of wrecks and I had two close calls. The first was about half way into the race. The pace slowed and the pack tighten up through the turn and I got pinched. I ended up leaning on another guy bar to bar, but we both got through clean. The second was with half a lap to go. I’d worked my way into the top 20 and again the pace slowed with the whole pack coming together through the exit of the turn. I was not on my brakes fast enough and ended up rubbing my front spokes on someone’s rear skewer. I clipped one foot out to stay vertical and jammed the brakes. I lost all my momentum and everyone flew past me. I crossed the line in 48th. Yep, I still suck.
Sunday
Again a thunderstorm moved through in the morning and it was a wicked one. Horizontal rain, 50+ mph wind, lightning, hail, the whole bit. It cleared out and I made it to the course a little after 11:00 to find utter destruction. Leaves, branches, mud, a tree and power lines littered the course. They canceled most of the races through Cat 3 and weren’t sure they were going to run the rest of them, so I called it a weekend and headed for home. Turns out they did run the Pro Women, 1-2 Men and Pro Men.
Overall it was a good weekend. I didn’t place very well, but I gained some much needed experience. Next weekend is Winghaven.
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